Teenagers need sleep and the longer they spend using electronic devices such as tablets and smartphones, the worse their sleep will be, a recent study has shown. 
Researchers in Norway, working with nearly 10,000 teens aged 16-19, found that more than two hours of screen time after school was strongly linked to both delayed and shorter sleep.
Almost all the teens from Norway said they used the devices shortly before going to bed, the BBC reported.
The teens were asked questions about their sleep routine on weekdays and at weekends, as well as how much screen time they clocked up outside school hours.
On average, girls said they spent around five and a half hours a day watching TV or using computers, smartphones or other electronic devices. And boys spent slightly more time in front of a screen – around six and a half hours a day, on average.
Playing computer games was more popular among the boys, whereas girls were more likely to spend their time chatting online.
Research has shown that any type of screen use during the day and in the hour before bedtime would disrupt sleep – making it more difficult for teenagers to nod off.
Lack of sleep often leads to insomnia and this can cause health issues as well as having a detrimental affect on school work. But how does one stop this happening confiscating the devices?
Hypnotherapy has been proven to help and insomniacs generally respond very well to hypnosis. The National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) has one of the largest registers of independent hypnotherapists in the United Kingdom and strives to maintain the highest standards among its members.
Being fully qualified and trained, NCH members can develop a programme of personalised treatment that identifies a client’s sleeping patterns and this can even teach self-management techniques. Research has shown shows that hypnosis combined with cognitive behavioural therapy is the most effective treatment for insomnia.
If your teenager is suffering from deprived sleep, why not look up an NCH hypnotherapist near you by using their directory. It could make a huge difference to his or her future.
Another recent study has shown that more than half of all teenagers may be sleep deprived and that the average teen needs nine hours’ sleep to function properly.
“Sleep is fundamentally important but despite this it’s been largely ignored as part of our biology,” said Russell Foster, Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford University.
The therapist will help the client develop a sleep plan that will lead to good, restorative sleep night after night. The client will be taught to avoid common enemies of sleep and to develop a personal prescription to a good night’s rest.
Prof Russell said a combination of natural hormone changes and greater use of screen-based technology means many are not getting enough sleep.
“Sleep is fundamentally important but despite this it’s been largely ignored as part of our biology,” he said.
The Norwegian study into electronic device use showed that when daytime screen use totalled four or more hours, teens had a 49 per cent greater risk of taking longer than an hour to fall asleep.
These teens also tended to get less than five hours of sleep per night and sleep duration went steadily down as gadget use increased.
“Within the context of teenagers, here we have a classic example where sleep could enhance enormously the quality of life and, indeed, the educational performance of our young people. Yet they’re given no instruction about the importance of sleep and sleep is a victim to the many other demands that are being made of them.” said Prof Foster.
Finally, in yet another study, US doctors warned that using an e-book at bedtime does damage sleep patterns and perhaps, in the long term, one’s health.
